Best over-ear headphones 2024: For the ultimate music listening experience

If you want to get closer to your music, then exploring the best over-ear headphones is a great way to do just that. Both of us have been reviewing tech for many years and really enjoy kicking back with a good pair of wireless or wired headphones and immersing ourselves in the music. It's a great way to spend an evening – and all the top brands are on board, including Apple, Sony, Bose, Sennheiser and more.

As you'll see from our guide below, some of our choices can be a bit on the chunky side – especially when you compare them to the range of sleek in-ear designs available – but don't let their robust look put you off as all of our favourite picks deliver excellent audio.

And don’t go thinking that just because they’re a little bit bulkier that they must be uncomfortable, as all of the headphones featured our my guide are designed with comfort in mind - and this includes thick padding to protect your ears during long listening sessions. Like other headphones, our selection of the best over-ear headphones features a range of prices, with some wired and some wireless to give you more choice when making a purchasing decision.

We've also included some older models simply because they still perform beautifully - and they're cheaper too.

And with Black Friday set to land on November 29 this year, I'll be covering all the biggest and best Black Friday music deals and all the best Black Friday Marshall speakers and headphones deals.

Paul Dimery author photo
Paul Dimmery

Paul has spent the last eight years testing and writing about record players and audio technology for Louder, T3 and TechRadar. As an avid music fan Paul puts turntables through their paces by playing some of his favourite vinyl by artists including Weyes Blood and Nirvana on the kit to see how they hold up. If it's got a good melody, he's on board with it.

Claire Davies author image
Claire Davies

During her tenure as a Total Guitar staffer and later as a freelance music journalist, Claire has attended her fair share of festivals and has camped out at most (there may have been the odd hotel stay). Claire was also the Outdoors Editor for Louder’s sister site T3, where she was in charge of hunting down the best tents for all camping scenarios, from festivals to sub-zero adventures.

Quick list

Louder’s top pick

Best over-ear headphones: Sony WH-1000XM4

(Image credit: Sony)
The best over-ear headphones for quality and price

Specifications

Features: Bluetooth, Active Noise Cancelling, Speak-to-Chat
Battery Life: 30 hours
Connector: USB-C

Reasons to buy

+
Superb noise cancelling technology
+
Musical presentation
+
Great battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
May be unnecessary smart for some

Sony’s fourth generation of noise-cancelling over-ear headphones are simply brilliant. Sure, the Sony WH-1000XM5 may be newer, but the jury's still out whether the extra financial outlay on them is worth the upgrade. The WH-1000XM4 not only block out a whole heap of outside noise, they also sound fantastic. Super-soft ear-cups coupled to 40mm Liquid Crystal Polymer drivers, deliver superb fidelity and a hammering bass.

There’s also the Sony Headphone app where I was able to tweak the amount of noise-cancelling provided by the Sony WH-1000XM4, from, "I don’t want to hear anything but my own heartbeat", to "I’d quite like to know if a car is about to run me over." You can even set these over-ear headphones to adapt noise-cancelling to the environment you're in.

The battery life of around 30 hours means that even the longest of long-haul flights is covered. The Sony WH-1000XM4 also use AI processing to maximise audio quality, whatever your streaming source, with features like ‘Speak To Chat’ in which the headphones automatically pause when you start a conversation.

Read our full Sony WH-1000XM4 review

Best for fidelity

Best over-ear headphones: Philips Fidelio X3 in black

(Image credit: Philips)
The best over-ear headphones for studio grade performance

Specifications

Features: Open back design, Kavdrat fabric.
Battery Life: N/A
Connector: USB-C

Reasons to buy

+
Sublime, studio grade performance
+
Premium build

Reasons to avoid

-
Noise leaks

These flagship Fidelio X3 Hi-Fi reference headphones offer formidable fidelity. With Kvadrat fabric backing helping to disguise their open backed design, I don't think they're ideally suited for listening in polite company, but I found the soundstage is akin to listening to music from loudspeakers. 

Soft velour ear pads give the X3 a welcome glam rock aesthetic, and inside each there’s a powerful 50mm driver with a three-layer design that ensures stability and musicality.

The headphones have a rich low end that’s tight and rewarding, while the midrange glistens with detail. The X3 are an almost perfect blend of performance, design and value. They’re well worth auditioning.

Read the full Philips Fidelio X3 review

Best for ANC

Best over-ear headphones: Apple AirPods Max

(Image credit: Apple)

3. Apple AirPods Max

The best over-ear headphones for Apple fans looking for awesome sound

Specifications

Type: Over-ear
Features: Bluetooth 5.0, active noise cancellation
Battery Life: 20 hours
Connector: USB-C

Reasons to buy

+
Top-rated audio performance
+
Stunning build quality
+
Cinematic spatial audio

Reasons to avoid

-
The case design sucks

While they aren’t the most expensive headphones in our best over-headphones guide, the Apple AirPod Max aren’t far off. Not everyone will want to pony up for these beauties, but are they worth it? Well, there's a lot going on under the hood here which makes them a stellar choice for those with an Apple Music subscription.

The Apple AirPod Max offer a detailed, super-crisp, spacious audio quality that does justice to a range of genres, with drivers fitted to deliver high-fidelity audio. There’s impressive active noise cancellation tech here too, so you can block everyone else out as often as you need.  

In terms of comfort, my ears have never had it so good - and I can thank Apple’s knit mesh canopy and acoustically engineered memory foam cushions for that. Yep, these over-ear headphones offer the same comfort material as a plush mattress. 

So, why do I recommend them for Apple fans? Because while Bluetooth 5.0 means you can use them with Android phones, the AirPod Max work best with an iPhone, as you can then mess around with the spatial audio (for theatre-like sound) app feature and put Siri to work.

Do drool over the five different colours you can buy them in – Green, Sky Blue, Space Grey, Pink, and Silver – but don’t look at the quite less than impressive case they come in.

Read the full Apple Airpods Max review

Best detailed sound

Best over-ear headphones: Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2

(Image credit: Bowers & Wilkins)
The best over-ear headphones for sophisticated, detailed sound

Specifications

Type: Closed
Bluetooth: Yes
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Mic: Yes
Controls: Yes
Battery life: 30hr
Connector: USB-C

Reasons to buy

+
Classy, classy, classy!
+
Fun and detailed sound

Reasons to avoid

-
Don’t fold for storage

The Louder team are big fans of the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 over-ear headphones, but we've had to revise some of our thoughts, as the upgraded Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 headphones are a step up.

They were released in the summer of 2022 - just two years after the PX7 arrived and are slightly smaller and lighter than the original model. They sit more snuggly as a result and the mics do a very good job of blocking out unwanted noise of up to 30dB with ANC mode activated.

You'll get 30 hours of music from them too and while this is the same as the older model, it's in the sound department where things get better. The enormous soundstage makes for an impressive experience and the audio delivery is excellently balanced.

If you're upgrading from the original model, we don't think you'll regret it.

Read the full Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 review

Best for style

Best over-ear headphones: Urbanista Miami in red

(Image credit: Urbanista)

5. Urbanista Miami

The best over-ear headphones for style and sound

Specifications

Type: Closed-back
Features: Bluetooth 5.0, active noise cancellation
Battery Life: 50 hours
Connector: USB-C

Reasons to buy

+
Big style and sound for less
+
Decent ear-cup padding
+
Intuitive playback controls

Reasons to avoid

-
Audio lacks a little detail

The Urbanista Miami are the first set of noise-cancelling headphones from the brand, and while the active noise cancellation isn’t good enough to rival the Apple, Bose or Sony over-ear headphones in this list, it’s decent for the lower price. 

And anyway, if you’re searching for over-ears you’re probably more concerned with how they sound - and the Urbanista Miami are pretty decent. I found that they lacked a little crispness and detail compared to powerhouse headphones, but they make a decent fist of rock, metal and punk. Pop and hip hop too, if they’re your bag. 

Battery life is better than some other over-ear headphones, with a reliable 50 hours of playback per charge, but the Marshall Major IV further up this guide offer 80 hours of battery for around the same price.

Still, if you like to inject a little style and personality into your audio wear, the Urbanista Miami’s trump the Marshalls thanks to a greater range of colours, including red, white and green.

Best budget

Best over-ear headphones: AKG K72

(Image credit: AKG)

6. AKG K72 Over-Ear Headphones

The best over-ear headphones if you're on a tight budget

Specifications

Type: Closed
Bluetooth: No
Noise-cancelling: No
Mic: No
Controls: No
Battery life: N/a
Connector: 3.5mm

Reasons to buy

+
Awesomely affordable
+
Really comfortable

Reasons to avoid

-
Not very portable

The AKG K72 over-ear headphones are proof you can get a great pair of headphones on a tight budget. This simple, big, wired unit is built for comfort and longevity – you could easily wear them all day and they'd never irritate and wouldn’t fall apart. AKG actually bends the cable 80,000 times to ensure it’s as durable as possible.

That cable is an impressive three metres long so it's perfect for wired listening at home if there's distance between your system and your sofa. And while the size of the headphones makes them relatively unsuited to outdoor use, they're closed-back so won’t irritate everyone around you if you're out and about for your daily constitutional.

I found the sound was far better than the price would suggest – and much more grown-up than that of most similarly priced rivals. Open, airy and spacious, with plenty of punchy bass, you really can’t go wrong with the AKG K72.

Best Sennheisers

Best over-ear headphones: Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3

(Image credit: Sennheiser)
The best over-ear headphones from the Sennheiser range

Specifications

Type: Closed
Bluetooth: Yes
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Mic: Yes
Controls: Yes
Battery life: 17hr
Connector: USB-C

Reasons to buy

+
Fab sound
+
Great features

Reasons to avoid

-
Battery life could be better

Sennheiser’s Momentum Wireless headphones have been hugely successful over the last few years, and this MkIII version takes the range to brand new heights. The sound has been vastly improved over that of the already excellent Momentum 2.0 model.

These balance the energy of an excited puppy with the delicacy and eye for detail of a Bonsai master. There are cool features too, including automatic pairing when the headphones are unfolded and automatic pause when removed from your head.

The only slight blot on the otherwise crisp, white paper are the high price and relatively short battery life, but if neither of those puts you off, these Sennheisers are a great option for over-ear headphones.

Read the full Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3 review

Best for comfort

Best over-ear headphones: Shure SRH1540

(Image credit: Shure)
The best over-ear headphones for serious musos

Specifications

Type: Closed
Bluetooth: No
Noise-cancelling: No
Mic: No
Controls: No
Battery life: N/a
Connector: 3.5mm

Reasons to buy

+
Big, beautifully balanced sound
+
Fantastically comfortable

Reasons to avoid

-
Not good on the go

Thanks to its ubiquitous microphones and on-stage in-ear monitors, Shure is intrinsically linked to live music and pro-audio production. Their over-ear headphones are less well known but still an excellent choice, and the long-standing SRH1540s are my pick of the bunch.

The large, classic, wired design is really intended for home – or studio – use, but the closed-back cups mean you can use them while out for a walk without fear of instantly becoming public enemy number one.

Sound is brilliant – all of the detail you’d expect from a professional-grade pair of headphones, the tonal neutrality to let your music do the talking, and brilliant, dramatic dynamics. Serious headphones for serious listening.

Read the full Shure SRH1540 review

Best over-ear headphones: Beyerdynamic Amiron

(Image credit: Beyerdynamic)

9. Beyerdynamic Amiron Over-Ear Headphones

The best over-ear headphones for listening at home

Specifications

Type: Open
Bluetooth: No
Noise-cancelling: No
Mic: No
Controls: No
Battery life: N/a
Connector: 3.5mm

Reasons to buy

+
Fantastically balanced sound
+
Lovely to wear

Reasons to avoid

-
Unsuited for portable use

Open-backed headphones aren’t for use out-and-about as they tend to be big and leak noise like a sonic colander. But there are benefits to the open-back design, namely a spaciousness that closed-back headphones usually can’t match. 

Listen to a great pair of open-backed headphones, such as the Beyerdynamic Amiron, and it’s as if you’re not listening to headphones at all, but a brilliant pair of perfectly set-up hi-fi speakers.

Well, the Amirons are a great pair of open-backed headphones. The soundstage they produce is vast and airy, and the impression of listening out-loud is enhanced by the fact that the headphones are so comfortable that you’re barely aware you’re wearing them.

The Beyerdynamic Amiron's sound is also brilliantly balanced and deliciously detailed, and really rewards those who plug in to a proper hi-fi with a turntable or hi-res streamer.

Buying advice

Best over-ear headphones: A pair of Marshall headphones on a pile of wires

(Image credit: Marshall)

Finding the best over-ear headphones for you

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Once you've settled on a price range, the next thing you'll need to do is decide whether you want to go with wireless headphones or are happy being tethered to your home Hi-Fi with a cable. 

There are plenty of really good wireless headphones available, and they often don’t cost the earth – our best budget wireless headphones round-up is proof of that – but it's worth bearing in mind that both wireless sound quality and battery life can vary greatly. Looking for a pair with a more recent version of Bluetooth – 6 is the most recent but most headphones at the moment run between 5.0 and 5.2 – can help in both regards, but isn’t a guarantee. And if you can find a pair with the audio-focused aptX codec, you know that sound quality has at least been a factor in the design.

Wireless on-ear headphones often come with oodles of cutting edge technology, including Active Noise Cancelling and built-in support for Google Assistant and such like. Wired headphones are simpler and often trade smart connectivity for premium components and audiophile design.

It’s worth checking whether the connector is the more common 3.5mm type, now falling out of favour on smartphones, or the more hi-fi-specific 6.3mm type. The good news is that premium hi-fi pairs often include an adapter, although buying one separately won’t set you back much at all.

Open or closed-back?

Open or closed-back headphones?

The other big thing to consider is whether you want open or closed-back headphones. Closed-back models are more common, as they keep the audio more or less confined to your noggin, while open-backed headphones generally leak enough noise that anyone in the vicinity will feel as though they’re listening to the world’s worst radio.

Conversely, open-back headphones generally sound more open and spacious – more like listening out-loud to a full-sized hi-fi than two little drivers strapped to your head – so if you need to listen quietly but not silently, and take your music enjoyment seriously, they can be the way to go.

Want to take your music listening experience to another level again? Think about drafting in a portable headphone amp, as one of these can make a big difference to how your music sounds. 

It might sound like super-nerdy stuff but it really can make a difference. My old and (sadly discontinued) Oppo PM-3 over-ear headphones still sound great, but audio is elevated considerably when I pair it with my sleek Oppo HA-2SE headphone amp.

How we test

When I put the best over-ear headphones in our guide through their paces, I took a look at every aspect of the headphones – everything from the audio quality, design, comfort, along with other details including as if they're open-back or closed back, and if they're wireless or wired.

To get the most from the headphones, they were tested listening to a variety of musical genres and styles, including rock and metal, prog, punk, alt and acoustic. Battery life, where appropriate, was also taken into consideration as it's an important factor when choosing a new pair of wireless headphones.

At the end of the day, I wanted to give you all the information you need when deciding what to buy – after all, the world of headphones is a crowded one.

Steve May

Steve is a home entertainment technology specialist who contributes to a variety of UK websites and mags, including Louder Sound, Yahoo UK, Trusted Reviews, T3, The Luxe Review and Home Cinema Choice. Steve began his career as a music journo, writing for legendary rock weekly Sounds, under the nom de plume Steve Keaton. His coverage of post punk music was cited in the 2015 British Library exhibition Terror and Wonder: The Gothic Imagination, as a seminal influence on the Goth music scene.